Tools

Typography

Share This

Teuvo Hakkarainen and Ville Vähämäki of the Finns Party have received a raised expense allowance for renting what is effectively a sauna in Töölö, Helsinki.

The Finnish Parliament has suspended the supplementary part of the expense allowances of Teuvo Hakkarainen and Ville Vähämäki of the Finns Party, reveals Pertti Rauhio, the administrative director at the Parliament.

Members of the Parliament from outside Uusimaa are entitled to a tax-free expense allowance worth up to 1,809.15 euros a month if they own or rent a second home in Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo or Kauniainen.

Hakkarainen and Vähämäki had both received the raised allowance on grounds that they rented a 62-square-metre basement unit that according to the lessor is “effectively a sauna” in Töölö, Helsinki. The Parliament is currently investigating whether the duo should be made to repay the allowances.

Rauhio clarifies that the allowance payments have been suspended until the investigation has been wrapped up.

“And I’m talking specifically about putting them on hold – not anticipating any kind of a decision on the issue, but simply to be sure while the issue is being investigated,” he stressed to Uusi Suomi on Wednesday.

Iltalehti was the first news outlet to report about the decision to suspend the allowances of Hakkarainen and Vähämäki.